Customer Photos: Megan

The good stuff just keeps rolling in.

Here's another super customer, Megan, who has I-don't-even-know-how-many House of Nines Design hats at this point. She has an eye for one-of-a-kind and custom pieces, and uses them to accessorize her wardrobe in a way that's really fun. And she's been buying hats of mine since the beginning of my business, so looking through her collection is fun for me, like seeing old friends from years ago.

Here's Megan in a one-of-a-kind 'Belle Epoch' mini top hat in black fur felt with black and white striped ribbon trim and a big cockade. She was using this one as her Facebook profile photo for a while, and I was very flattered.

 

 

Photo: 2011 Oscar Cwajbaum http://oscarc.net/

 

Photo: 2011 Oscar Cwajbaum http://oscarc.net/

Top hats at the Aquarium? I'm all for it.  I think these were taken at San Francisco's Aquarium of the Bay, where I recently did some research for aquatic-inspired hats for Spring / Summer 2013 (stay tuned).

 

Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

 

Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

Here's another 'Belle Epoch' from Megan's collection. This was a one-of-kind item as well, because I only had two of these antique mother of pearl buckles used to provide a knot for the bow, and I plan to use the other one on a totally different hat. (But, I still have just a few pieces left of this vintage, very limited vibrant purple long-nap fur felt if anyone is interested.) She's further customized it on her own by swapping in feathers from a red 'Una' top hat. 

 

Photo: 2011 Oscar Cwajbaum http://oscarc.net/

A close-up of Megan in her 'Una'.

 Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

 

 Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

Ok. So, in the following photo, Megan is not wearing one of my hats. It was mixed in with the photos she sent me, and when I realized it was her, I was so humored that I had to share it. This is Megan in Wesley Crusher drag, standing proudly in front of Our Fair City, the future home of the United Federation of Planets. It made my day.

 Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

When I let Megan know how happy the last photo made my inner geek, she sent me the following photo of Wesley Crusher meeting Wil Wheaton, and it made my MONTH. Judging by Wil's reaction, it did the same for him. Assuming that this face of Wil's means "Brilliant!" (what else?) I'm feeling the same way about her.

Many thanks to Megan for sharing these super great photos. Have some of your own? Send them in!

Customer Photos: More Jo

Love these great photos recently received from Joanna in Australia.

Joanna is a fantastic regular customer of House of Nines, I've literally lost count of how many custom hats she has commissioned over the years.  This custom 'Wellington' is her most recent purchase.

The style may be more familiar to you in its animal print form, which looks like this:

Jo requested black long-nap felt instead of the animal print, but the ribbon trim is the same. As you can see in the photo below, instead of stripped hackle feathers, we went with curled peacock swords. Jo said the photos were taken on a windy day so the feathers were being blown around a bit. And we added a birdcage veiling over the eyes. I have hundreds and hundreds of bolts of rare antique silk veiling in stock, and this is one of my personal favorites, it's got a geometric pattern but is so delicate.

Jo usually prefers to go with custom designs instead of choosing a ready-to-wear style, and it's always a lot of fun working on something special for her.

Thanks again for all your amazing customer photos! Keep 'em coming!